Comments on: Saturday Cartoons Plus

by: Emptywheel - Just another Fdlmu.localhost weblog » My Guesses on Why Rove Resigned

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 19:30:07 +0000

[…] The Republicans have finally realized he’s a loser. Mahablog links to a well-timed Atlantic article that lays out Rove’s failures: […]

by: The Mahablog » Over Rove

Tue, 14 Aug 2007 18:37:27 +0000

[…] Second, you can’t very well maintain a governing coalition with people who won’t compromise and who do not even tolerate, much less respect, opposing opinions. (Disagreement with them is not just disagreement; it is Evil.) As I wrote here, Rove’s biggest blind spot is his failure to see that campaigning is not governing. Making promises and smearing opponents only takes an office holder so far. At some point he needs to follow up on promises and see to it that his policies are working. Rove and Bush seem to have plenty of the vision thing; what they don’t have is the accomplishment thing. […]

by: serena1313

Tue, 14 Aug 2007 08:27:40 +0000

correction: serena1313

by: seena1313

Tue, 14 Aug 2007 08:26:12 +0000

Since day one this administration has been more interested in helping big business rather than the public. One of the major things that got the WH into trouble in Iraq: they never made it about the Iraqi people — the same thing in Afghanistan and likewise in America.

Politics and policy are two different things. Rove may not know anything about governing, but he knows a lot about politics. Rove is a political operative, period. Rove’s agenda was seeing that republicans became a permanent majority. Therefore he knew the political landscape of America had to change. By hook and crook he managed to legitimize the unacceptable.

Rove spent the past 6.5 years actively expanding the republican influence in every aspect of government. [It is presumed] He is responsible for placing inexperienced political “operatives” in lower and upper positions within the various departments including the legislative and judicial branches of government. It did not matter that by doing so it rendered an effective government impotent.

Knowing the dialogue had to change in order to marginalize dissent Rove introduced talking points and slogans that would effectively dumb down public discourse. Turning logic on its head equating criticism with hatred reduced debate to nothing more than illogical and unreasonable arguments while intelligence all but disappeared. E-motions replaced common sense when wedge issues, 911 and terrorism became the topics du’ jour.

Rove’s strategy to divide and conquer was not workable. Yet no one in the media bothered to analyze his strategies. Most journalists were too focused on Rove’s success at winning elections. They were too busy showering him with accolades to realize after the elections the effect it had on the public. Rove never paid attention to the people’s needs nor what it means to govern. Instead it was relegated to political maneuvers to ensure republican victories.

Rove, with Bush’s blessings, will be remembered for leaving the nation divided and bi-partisanship a thing of the past. He may be gone, but his imprint will be felt for a long time.

Equally important with dangerous men at the helm without a clue how to lead, the nation is rudderless drifting in a sea of incompetence.

Meanwhile we have a lot of healing to do. Rove has a lot of answering to do — that is if Leahy walks his talk. Rove cannot continue to evade the law and expect not to get caught. Otherwise it legitimizes breaking the law and that is unacceptable.

by: Steve J.

Mon, 13 Aug 2007 22:26:29 +0000

I think meddling in the Schiavo case should also be considered one of Rove’s failures.

by: BlueKnuckle

Mon, 13 Aug 2007 22:07:26 +0000

Simply brilliant piece. Rings true at every turn. Incisive. A great piece of analytic and didactic journalism.

by: Sully18

Mon, 13 Aug 2007 22:00:23 +0000

“In a nutshell, Rove believed he could create a political realignment like the ones brought about by the Civil War and the Great Depression.”
Rove actions may yet facilitate this realignment,but in the opposite direction.With recession on the horizon and impeachment “off the table,” but not yet shredded, there probably will be a massive shift toward the Dems.
I see that Michael Chertoff has the ICE-men in striking distance to start rounding up the Mexican immigrants who forgot to get their Green cards.We should be used to Mexican-Americans who have poor memories,as in AG Gonzalez,and we should leave them alone as we have him.
Seriously,I do think there is something going on here that isnot what we`re seeing.Remember the Rethug bait and switch.

by: skyreader7

Mon, 13 Aug 2007 21:24:32 +0000

Things Fall Apart. Why for Bush? He screwed almost every group in America except for the filthy rich: teachers and students, soldiers, the poor, the old, parents who had to get education loans from Sallie Mae, car owners who need to put gas in their cars, people who have to drive over bridges, all of us who breathe air, and on and on. All the while enriching his favorite groups: the Haves and the Have Mores.

He forgot that he was a servant of the people; not a “his royal highness” above law and man.

by: YOUTHinkLeft » What’s the deal with Karl Rove?

Mon, 13 Aug 2007 16:54:20 +0000

[…] The Republicans have finally realized he’s a loser. Mahablog links to a well-timed Atlantic article that lays out Rove’s failures: […]

by: Rove resigns « Further thoughts

Mon, 13 Aug 2007 15:58:06 +0000

[…] It’s always good news to hear that one more of them is gone. Rove has been behind so much of the evil of the Bush administration - his departure gives a sense of relief. In reality, it probably has no effect - Rove was an effective strategist, but even he can’t sell the Iraq war. Rove’s string of failures have added up - eventually, reality intrudes. You’ll notice that most of these initiatives never came to pass, and the ones that did (like No Child Left Behind) are increasingly unpopular and will likely be axed once the Bushies are gone. […]